“Cake or Death” – Eddie Izzard

On 18 March 2007, Izzard was listed as number 3 of the 100 Greatest British National Comedians (behind Peter Kay at number 2 and Billy Connolly at number 1) as part of British television station Channel 4’s ongoing 100 Greatest…, series. In the 2010 updated version of the list he was ranked 5th.

In 2012, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Sunderland. On 20 February 2013, Izzard received the 6th Annual Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism — an award presented at Harvard University each year by the Humanist Community at Harvard, the American Humanist Association, and the Harvard Community of Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics.

In 2015, Izzard was chosen, by readers of The Guardian, as their 2014 public language champion. The award was announced in central London, at the Guardian and British Academy 2014 Schools Language Awards, as part of the annual Language Festival.

“Cake or Death” – Eddie Izzard – “Dress to Kill”

One of Izzard’s most well-known routines was performed during Dress To Kill: a satirical depiction of Church of England fundamentalism, wherein Izzard explains how Church of England fundamentalism would be impossible because people would be shouting out “You must have tea and cake with the vicar or you DIE!” and “CAKE OR DEATH?!”

The latter phrase has become so well known that it is now the name of an Eddie Izzard fansite and has inspired a Christian website called Anglican Memes for those who “like gentle fun being poked at the church but are not interested in church-bashing or posting anything offensive.”[

Avoid Probate – Eddie Izzard (Cake) – Note

One of Izzard’s most well-known routines was performed during “Dress To Kill”: a satirical depiction of Church of England fundamentalism, wherein Izzard explains how Church of England fundamentalism would be impossible because people would be shouting out “You must have tea and cake with the vicar or you DIE!” and “Cake Or Death?!.”

The latter phrase has become so well-known that it is now the name of an Eddie Izzard fansite.